Legacies & Tribute Funds

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Creating your legacy

Remembering the National Army Museum by leaving a gift in your Will, no matter what size, can help us build and care for the collection, support exhibitions and deliver innovative learning, outreach and research programmes.

Your Will is an important private matter. If you would like to talk to us about potentially leaving a legacy to the National Army Museum, do not hesitate to get in touch to discuss it in complete confidence.

One of the very best ways to support the National Army Museum is by remembering us in your Will.

Why the National Army Museum

The National Army Museum is the world’s largest single accumulation of the rich material culture of the British Army. Its mission is to gather, maintain and make known the story of the British Army and its role and impact in world history from the formation of the Army to the present day.

The earliest artefact in the collection is a muster roll from the Siege of St Denis in 1435. Today there are over 1,000,000 individual artefacts and 622 linear metres of archives and photographs. The Museum seeks to use its collections to tell the fascinating and complex story of the Army and to provide lifelong learning opportunities to audiences of all ages, placing learning at the heart of what we do. We are committed to producing displays, activities and services that meet audiences needs and exceed their expectations. The collections underpin all the communication, learning and participation outcomes of the Museum.

This makes for the ideal opportunity to become part of the historical legacy of the British Army.

The Legacy Circle

Supporters who have kindly notified us of their intention to leave a legacy will be invited to join our Legacy Circle, this will help us to remain in contact with you on an occasional basis with news and invitations from the Museum.

Tribute Funds

A National Army Museum Tribute Fund is a lasting way to remember someone special to you or your family. A Tribute Fund is named after the person who has died and becomes a permanent memorial to them. This may be especially relevant to the families of British Army veterans. Friends and family can contribute to the fund as they wish, and the money from it will be used to support the work of the National Army Museum in memory of the individual.

1. Why should I make a Will?

If you die without a Will, the law decides 'who gets what' and your family, or your favourite charity, may miss out.

Your Will can provide protection for your family, making sure of supporting their needs.

Inheritance Tax may be charged on your estate. By careful planning you can reduce this burden.

You can use your Will to benefit your favourite charities. All charitable gifts are free of Inheritance Tax.

2. Are there tax benefits?

Gifts to charity are generally exempt from all Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax and Income Tax, so the full value of your gift will go straight to help our work.

3. Why leave a legacy to the National Army Museum?

We aim to use our Collection to tell the ongoing story of the Army and to reconnect the Army with society. To achieve this we need to make the objects in the Museum's care accessible in ways that inspire, provide enjoyment, and provoke questions from diverse audiences. We rely on our supporters to help us turn this mission into a reality.

Gifts from our supporters have never been more important to us. Your gift can help us safeguard the heritage of the British Army for the benefit of generations to come.

4. Can my gift be earmarked for a particular part of the Museum?

We will always do our best to meet your wishes. If you want your legacy to be put towards a specific area of the Museum, we will certainly look at how this might be achieved. There will be opportunities to sponsor individual galleries as well as many other rooms and spaces within the Museum. You can also support the Museum's activities, for example our work with schools or outreach projects.

5. How do I make a Will?

It can be quick and easy to make a Will, but it is important to involve a legal professional to draw it up for you. If all the legal formalities are not correctly followed your Will could be declared invalid.

6. What are the different types of legacy and Tribute Funds?

There are a number of ways to leave a legacy. It could be a gift of money, a share of your estate or specific items of property. If you already have a Will, your wishes can be put into effect by a simple amendment: a codicil. Leaving even a small percentage of your estate is one of the best ways to help the Museum.

There are different kinds of gift you can leave in your Will. The most common are:

Residuary legacy: A gift of all or part of your net estate (what remains after all taxes, specific gifts and the cost of administering the estate have been paid). This type of legacy should be expressed as a percentage or share of your estate.

Pecuniary legacy: A fixed sum of money. It is worth bearing in mind that inflation can erode the value of pecuniary legacies, so it is worth reviewing your Will on a regular basis, whether or not your circumstances change.

Specific legacy: A gift of a specific item or asset such as shares or jewellery.

7. Is there any specific wording I should use?

Residuary legacy: 'I give to the National Army Museum of Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT Registered Charity Number 237902 __% of the residue of my estate to be used by the Museum at its discretion and the receipt of the Director General or the proper officer for the time being of the National Army Museum shall be a complete discharge to my Executors.'

Pecuniary legacy: 'I give to the National Army Museum of Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT Registered Charity Number 237902 the sum of £__ to be used by the Museum at its discretion and the receipt of the Director General or the proper officer for the time being of the National Army Museum shall be a complete discharge to my Executors.'